The Entertainment at Norwich (Royal Entry of Queen Elizabeth) · chunk 14 of 15
Garter, Bernard / Goldingham, William · published 1578 · first performed or written 1578 [Aug] (Annals) entertainment; royal entertainment or entry · before the Court unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 545 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Great is the force of friendship and familiarity, which oftentimes bringeth to pass, that they, which either by some kind of fellowship, or by an accustomed condition of life, in tract of time have been closely knit, and so become both of one mind, and as it were grown together, that hard and scant they may be separated, & set in sunder. Hereof sprang the faithfulness of Theseus, commended by the mouth and monuments of all men: and the entire friendship of innumerable more, whom no dangers, nor labours, either by sea or land, could sequester from their sweet society & comfortable company, with whom they long had lived. And what desires, or what delights have anywhere been found, that may be compared with the sincere affection, and unfeigned good will, which we bear to your Highness, most excellent Princess? These are not sufficient shows of our faith and benevolence, which is much greater, than that the eloquence of any learned man, or that the slenderness of my wit and capacity may make it manifest. Nature at no time tied any thing with a straighter knot, or set several things at greater agreement, than the soul and the body: a declaration whereof is, the incredible consent and concord of them both, the mutual care and regard of succouring each other resting in them both: and the grievous departing, at the hour of death, the one from the other remaining in them both. But we which profess Christian religion and godliness, have learned this lesson, not only to love our country, but also her highness, in whom the health and safety of our country consisteth, far above the valiant Decij, the Scaevolae the Curtii, which ventured their lives for the Common wealth of Rome: yea, to love her grace much better than our own lives. For, what is he that would doubt to die for her sake, who if she were not, he should be constrained to abide a bondage much more bitter than death? Neither is this faithful love of us your subjects (most excellent Queen) lightly laid up in our hearts, and scarcely covered as it were in the ground, but deeply rooted, so that by no storms nor tempests of Fortune it can be shaken, by no engines overthrown, by no force or violence undertrodden. For how much maketh it for the establishment of faith and love, in that we know your Majesty hath obtained regiment and rule, not at the pleasure and appointment of wavering Fortune, but by right of inheritance, that is to say, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}: nor that the Homerical Jupiter {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, but that the maker and Creator of all things delivered it into your highness hands? And therefore a singular necessity of obedience is laid upon us, even by God himself, least in Giant guise as it is feigned, we set shoulder against God, and being at defiance with him most wickedly, bid him battle. When we behold those excellent and divine benefits, which your grace hath bestowed upon the common wealth, in so much that among many, yea innumerable countries, and nations under the Sun, none (I will not say may be preferred before us) but not so much as one may be compared with us.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Great is the force of friendshippe and familiaritie, which oftentimes bringeth to passe, that they, which eyther by some kinde of fellowshippe, or by an accustomed condition of life, in tracte of time haue bin closely knitte, and so become both of one minde, and as it were growne togither, that hard and scant they may be seperated, & set in sunder. Hereof sprang the faithfulnesse of Theseus, commē ded by the mouth and monumentes of all men: and the entier friendshippe of innumerable more, whō no daungers, nor labours, eyther by sea or land, coulde sequester from their sweete society & comfortable company, with whom they long had liued. And what desires, or what delightes haue any where bin founde, that may be compared with the sincere affection, and vnfayned good wil, which we beare to your Highnesse, moste excellent Princesse? These are not sufficiente shewes of our fayth and beneuolence, which is much greater, than that the eloquence of any learned man, or that the slendernesse of my witte and capacitie maye make it manifest. Nature at no tyme tyed any thyng with a straighter knotte, or set seueral things at greater agreement, than the soule and the bodie: a declaration wherof is, the incredible consent and concorde of thē both, the mutual care and regard of succouring each other resting in thē both: and the grieuous departing, at the houre of death, the one frō the other remayning in them both. But we whiche professe Christian religion and godlynesse, haue learned this lesson, not only to loue our countrye, but also hir highnesse, in whom the health and safetie of our countrey consisteth, farre aboue the valiaunt Decij, the Scaeuolae the Curtij, which ventured their liues for the Common wealth of Rome: yea, to loue hir grace much better than our owne liues. For, what is he that woulde doubt to dye for hir sake, who if she were not, he should be constreyned to abide a bondage much more bitter than death? Neyther is this faithfull loue of vs your subiectes (most excellente Queene) lightly layde vp in our heartes, and scarcely couered as it were in the ground, but deepely rooted, so that by no stormes nor tempestes of Fortune it can be shaken, by no engines ouerthrowen, by no force or violence vndertroden. For how muche maketh it for the establishmente of faith and loue, in that we know your Maiestie hath obteyned regimente and rule, not at the pleasure and appoyntmente of wauering Fortune, but by right of inheritance, that is to say, : nor that the Homericall Iuppiter , but that the maker and Creator of all things delyuered it into your Highnesse handes? And therefore a singular necessitie of obedience is layde vpon vs, euen by God himselfe, least in Giant guise as it is feygned, we set shoulder against God, and being at defiance with him most wickedly, bidde him battell. When we beholde those excellent and diuine benefites, whiche youre grace hathe bestowed vpon the common wealthe, in so much that among manye, yea innumerable Countreys, and nations vnder the Sunne, none (I will not saye maye bee preferred before vs) but not so much as one may be compared with vs.